4 . Over the years, I've found some easy tricks to get myself more active daily. Going to the gym and doing a weight workout isn't required.     1     Here's my secret sauce.

1.Start small

A lot of people assume they need to run themselves tired in the gym to get more fit, but that's really not true. Experts recommend a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity a week—that breaks down to a little more than 20 minutes each day. They also recommend strength-training at least two times a week.     2    

2.Get active at work

    3     Rather than using your full lunch hour to eat, take some time to go to the gym, speed walk around the office or run errands. You can also break up the boring work of the day by taking a walk during one-on-one meetings instead of sitting at a desk or conference room — anything to get up and get moving.

3.Do exercises you actually like

This is a big one. If you hate exercising, it might be because you aren't doing workouts you enjoy. Very few people actually enjoy running around in circles for miles. So don't. Branch out and try different kinds of workouts until you find one you genuinely enjoy.     4     But it'll be worth it when working out no longer feels like a chore.

4.Make it social

Exercise doesn't need to be alone. In fact, having a workout partner can help keep you motivated and hold you accountable in your routine.     5     The structure of working out in a group can push you to work harder while also introducing you to new people.

A．Your work day doesn't have to involve totally sitting long.

B．There are actually effective ways to get more exercise day-to-day.

C．Thirty minutes is an ideal place to start to fulfill your weekly needs.

D．If you don't have one buddy to join you, sign up for a workout class.

E．Exercise isn't just about running as fast or lifting as much as possible.

F．It'll help improve your flexibility and do wonders for your mental health.

G．This requires you to go out of your comfort zone and to be patient as you try things out.

5 . In this post, we’ll introduce some top robotics competitions open to high schoolers. Keep reading to learn more.

Botball Educational Robotics Program

Level: Regional and national competitions available

Grades: 9th, 10th. 11th, 12th

Over a period of about seven weeks, students learn to code(编程) and develop complex strategies to use artificial intelligence. This allows them to create an autonomous robot together that competes in an annual game challenging against other teams in competitions at various levels across the country.

FIRST: Robotics Competition

Level: Local, regional and national competitions available

Grades: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th

Teams work together with professional teachers to design, assemble(装配), and test an industrial-sized robot .The robot then competes in a head-to-head field game against other teams.

Robo Games

Level: International

Grades: All ages and backgrounds

This self-claimed “Olympics of robots” and current largest open robot competition challenges participants in a wide variety of events to display various skills. Amateurs, professionals, young and old alike are invited to participate with the goal of winning prizes, expanding educational service, and recognizing robot-builders in the public eye.

Zero Robotics High School Tournament

Level: International, including the U.S. and member countries of the European Space Agency

Grades: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th

This fascinating competition begins with robots called SPHERES inside the International Space Station. The first phase of the competition is entirely online, in which competitors code the SPHERES to meet a yearly challenge. Finalists compete in person, onboard the International Space Station, conducted live in microgravity by a real astronaut!

1. What do the first and second robotics competitions have in common?

A．Teamwork is a must in competitions.

B．They have the same goals and rules.

C．The robot is tested before competitions.

D．They are completely of the same level.

2. Which of the competitions has no age limitation?

A．Bot ball Educational Robotics Program.	B．FIRST: Robotics Competition.
C．Robo Games.	D．Zero Robotics High School Tournament.

3. What can we learn about Zero Robotics High School Tournament?

A．It is held by the European Space Agency.

B．It is a local robotics competition.

C．The whole competition is conducted online.

D．The final competition is held at the International Space Station.

6 . In a recent game of pickleball, my teammate and I were falling far behind other teams. It was her turn to serve. We were both standing behind the baseline, paddles(球拍) up in ready position, when she nodded at me and said, “In it to win it.”

“Really?” I looked at her, surprised by her use of a catchy expression that was new to me. My inner self was never ready to accept even the tiniest suggestion that we should be trying to win the game.

In my life off the pickleball court, I enjoy yoga, folk dancing—anything but games with winners and losers, and I always prefer to be a observer rather than a participant in the world of sports.

Then pickleball came along. Suddenly, I didn’t want to be an observer any longer. I wanted to be a player myself. Like many people, I was first drawn to the game simply as a safe COVID-19 activity. Playing outdoors with people in my neighborhood allowed me to break out of social isolation(隔离).

But my addiction to the game comes from the sport’s low barrier of entry. The equipment isn’t particularly expensive. It’s a relatively easy game to learn, and a participant doesn’t need to be especially strong, tall or fast. Little wonder that everyone can now be seen throwing a green, orange or yellow plastic ball with holes in it across a net.

Pickleball is the first game I’ve ever wanted to win. I think it’s because of the excitement I feel when I hit an unreturnable ball down the middle of the court and score a point. Participating in a sport myself rather than cheering for others provides real proof that I can still work hard to achieve goals.

So, I’ve made a long-term commitment to it. I am embracing the game as my pickleball buddies embrace me. I’d forgotten how much fun it is to socialize while, doing something active. In that playful space of the court, I am facing directly my fears of winning and losing. In the meantime, doing something outside of my comfort zone feels magical. Now I wonder what contests I might be brave enough to enter next.

1. Why was the author surprised by what her teammate said in the recent game?

A．She thought her teammate was too weak.	B．She hadn’t considered winning or losing.
C．She didn’t know what her teammate meant.	D．She misunderstood the rules of the game.

2. What is the main reason for the author’s love for pickleball?

A．It is what she is good at.	B．It allows her to make new friends.
C．It is affordable and accessible.	D．It has many health benefits.

3. How has the author benefited from playing pickleball?

A．She has overcome her fears of competitive sports.	B．She has realized her own limitations.
C．She has become a more energetic person.	D．She has recognized her talents for sports.

4. What does the author plan to do?

A．Become a professional athlete.	B．Recommend pickleball to more friends.
C．Explore some extreme sports.	D．Continue playing pickleball.

7 . Fitness and healthy well-being have become very popular during recent times with many consumers wanting to look after their body more and more now. Because of this, and especially because we are living in the digital age, many fitness fanatics are using technology to enable them to track their progress and improve how they are working out; due to this, we have created a list of gifts that you can buy for fitness fanatics this Christmas.

The first gift that we have found is perfect for fitness fanatics is actually the NutriBullet that has benefits for not just fitness go-ers but also perfect for every kitchen. The NutriBullet allows for consumers to blend their pre- and post-work out shakes perfectly and can mix virtually anything in them from fruit to nuts to supplements. The best thing about the NutriBullet is how quick and easy it is to use and more importantly how easy it is to clean and tidy up.

Next up for the perfect gift for a fitness goer would be that of a fitness smart watch, specifically a FitBit Sense. FitBit have always been the industry leader when it comes to fitness smart watches as they have hundreds of indicators for you to be able to track how your health is pre, during and post fitness session.

Not only that, but the benefits of messages and phone calls through your phone which is always an added extra for the fitness fans. And finally, a pair of wireless headphones are also a great gift for fitness fanatics and the best on the market are the Bose SoundSport Wireless. Not only do they deliver with the best sound quality, but they are also the comfiest and defo the best for wearing when competing in fitness due to the way they fit in the ear; they certainly won’t be falling out. Reasonably well priced compared to competitors too like the Apple Airpods Pro too so defo worth the gift.

Click here to learn more!

1. With the NutriBullet, people can __________.

A．clean up the kitchen in just several minutes

B．do exercise in the kitchen easily

C．drink cleaner and healthier water

D．mix a variety of things conveniently

2. Which of the following about FitBit is true? __________.

A．FitBit is a smart watch that can only be used to make phone calls.

B．FitBit can track you to the place where you work out.

C．FitBit offer you hundreds of indicators for asking about your health problems.

D．FitBit can be a good present for those who love taking exercise.

3. What advantages do the Bose SoundSport Wireless have? _________.

A．Their sound quality is the best.

B．They are easy to take with and easy to clean.

C．They can make phone calls.

D．They are comfiest and fit in the ear.

4. The passage may come from ___________.

A．a magazine

B．a web page

C．a daily newspaper

D．a science fiction

8 . 假定你是某校国际班的班长，你班将于下周三举行乒乓球比赛，请用英语写一则口头通知，内容包括：
1. 比赛时间与地点；
2. 报名截止时间；
3. 参赛者需自带装备。
注意：写作词数应为80左右。
参考词汇：乒乓球拍pingpong racket

Good morning, everybody! May I have your attention, please?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

That’s all, thank you.

9 . On Oct. 11, hundreds of runners competed in a cross-country race in Minnesota. Melanie Bailey should have _________ the course earlier than she did. Her _________ came because she was carrying a _________ across the finish line.

As reported by a local newspaper, Bailey was more than two-thirds of the way through her _________ when a runner in front of her began crying in pain. She _________ to help her fellow runner, Danielle Lenoue. Bailey took her arm to see if she could walk forward with _________. She couldn’t. Bailey then _________ to let Lenoue climb onto her back and carried her all the way to the finish line, then another 300 feet to where Lenoue could get _________ attention.

Once there, Lenoue was _________ and later taken to a hospital, where she learned that she had serious injuries in one of her knees. She would have struggled with extreme __________ to make it to that aid checkpoint without Bailey’s help.

As for Bailey, she is more __________ about why her act is considered a big __________. “She was just crying. I couldn’t __________ her,” Bailey told the reporter. “I feel like I was just doing the right thing.”

Although the two young women were strangers before the __________, they’ve since become friends. Neither won the race, but the __________ of human kindness won the day.

1.

A．designed

B．followed

C．changed

D．finished

2.

A．delay

B．chance

C．trouble

D．excuse

3.

A．judge

B．volunteer

C．classmate

D．competitor

4.

A．race

B．school

C．town

D．training

5.

A．agreed

B．returned

C．stopped

D．promised

6.

A．courage

B．aid

C．patience

D．advice

7.

A．went away

B．stood up

C．stepped aside

D．bent down

8.

A．medical

B．public

C．constant

D．equal

9.

A．interrupted

B．assessed

C．identified

D．appreciated

10.

A．hunger

B．pain

C．cold

D．tiredness

11.

A．worried

B．ashamed

C．confused

D．discouraged

12.

A．game

B．problem

C．lesson

D．deal

13.

A．leave

B．cure

C．bother

D．understand

14.

A．ride

B．test

C．meet

D．show

15.

A．secret

B．display

C．benefit

D．exchange